Inside March 2009

Features

BY Erin VoegeleAlthough the sugarcane-based ethanol industry is booming in Brazil, only a handful of companies are developing processing plants in the U.S., where market conditions in most parts of the country can't support them. A few projects are poised to thrive in unique pockets of the country, but the crop's real potential will rely upon the commercialization of cellulosic technologies. READ MORE

BY Kris BevillEthanol is an environmentally friendly fuel, especially compared with petroleum-based fuels, but that doesn't mean there are no environmental risks involved in the production process. For a variety of reasons, environmental insurance should be considered when determining how best to protect a company's investment. READ MORE

BY Ryan C. ChristiansenThe success of the dry-mill ethanol production process means that in the near future, the ethanol industry could produce more distillers grains than the domestic livestock feed market and the fledgling export market will bear. Distillers dried grains with solubles is already considered by many to be an undervalued co-product of ethanol production. How will the ethanol industry expand the market and how will they move it all from here to there? READ MORE

BY Anna AustinSqueezing more ethanol from a bushel of corn is one way for an ethanol producer to stay on top of his game. California-based OptiSwitch Technology has developed a process that could increase ethanol production by 5 percent or more, using high-power silicon switches to apply voltage to the cell walls of the corn kernel. READ MORE

BY Wade WatsonTracking the Renewable Identification Numbers required by the renewable fuels standard is a daunting task. The first full year of the system provided experience that will pay off in the future. READ MORE